


280 Days

by pegasus_fics



Category: Stargate Atlantis, Stargate SG-1
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff, I just want them to have babies and be happy forever ok, I tried though, No Plot/Plotless, Pregnancy, Self-Indulgent, also using one of my favorite Stargate trope, don't send me your dentist bill, the medical info is not accurate, this will rot your teeth
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2020-03-30
Packaged: 2020-05-20 03:27:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,497
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19368961
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pegasus_fics/pseuds/pegasus_fics
Summary: This whole situation was so surreal. She was a full bird Colonel, having her own command of an entire city. She was one year away from hitting the big four-oh, for cryin' out loud. She was too old for this. They were too old for this.





	1. Unexpected

**Author's Note:**

> Set after SGA 4x16 'Trio', goes AU during 5x01 'Search and Rescue' and after. 
> 
> Not beta-read, so please excuse any glaring errors, though I did my best. :)

Samantha Carter strolled through the hallways of Atlantis with purpose, rubbing her fingers across her forehead trying to dispel the headache that seemed to be plaguing her lately. That was why she was currently headed into the infirmary to meet up with Doctor Keller. The infirmary was thankfully empty, only Dr. Keller and a nurse attending to a member of Lorne's team.  
  
"Colonel Carter! What can I do for you?" The young doctor smiled at Sam. Aware of the others staring at her, she swallowed and smiled back.  
  
"Can we talk in private?"  
  
"Of course. Amy can take over." Jennifer nodded at the nurse and led Sam towards her office. When the door slid shut behind them, she offered the expedition commander a seat before taking her own chair. "So, what brings you here?"  
  
"Um...I haven't been feeling like myself lately. I thought it'd go away on its own but it hasn't yet."  
  
"Okay, how long are we talking?"  
  
"A couple of months, maybe?"  
  
"What symptoms have you noticed?" Jennifer rolled her chair towards her computer and pulled up Sam's file.  
  
"I get headaches, nothing too painful but enough to be irritating. I haven't had any appetite for a while and when I do eat, I'm just bloated afterward. Sometimes when I stand up too quickly I get dizzy but it goes away quickly. In the morning I wake up congested like I have a cold but it's not that."  
  
"Okay, do the symptoms occur all the time? Have they gotten worse over time?"  
  
"No, there are days where there are no symptoms at all and vice versa. Some of them got worse, some of them lessened." The young doctor typed up the symptoms into Sam's file before standing up to get her supplies.  
  
"I can do some basic tests to see where we're at. I wouldn't be surprised if these were all caused by stress."  
  
"I'm not stressed." Sam defended automatically but averted her eyes when the doctor gave her a look that spoke volumes as she fastened the blood pressure cuff around her arm.  
  
"You are the leader of this expedition and I can't imagine dealing with McKay isn't stressful."  
  
"Well yeah, Rodney can be a handful sometimes." Both women were silent as the machine measured Sam's blood pressure until it gave a huff, and the cuff deflated completely.  
  
"Well, your blood pressure is a little low but it's still within the normal range. How are you sleeping?"  
  
"I've been going to bed early because I'm exhausted, so I get around 8 to 9 hours of sleep. But when I wake up, it's like I slept for 2 hours and I'm still tired."  
  
"Do you drink a lot of coffee?"  
  
"Actually when I first arrived Teyla gave me a sample of the Athosian tea blend. I've been drinking that instead of the coffee ever since."  
  
"Okay, that's good. What about your cycle?"  
  
"I'm fairly regular, I had my period last month. Well, it was mostly spotting. My next one should be any day now."  
  
"Okay. Based on your symptoms I don't think there's a reason to be concerned but you were right to check in with me. I'll draw some blood now and run some tests on it right away." Jennifer prepared 3 empty vials and a sterile needle, setting them on the table next to Sam.  
  
"Three?"  
  
"It's a complete workup." Sam grudgingly agreed, watching as her blood filled the little vials. It took less than a minute until she was holding a piece of gauze in the dip of her bent elbow and watching as Jennifer labeled the vials and wrote something down on a clipboard.  
  
"Okay, you're free to go now, Colonel. I should have the first results later today or tomorrow morning barring any intergalactic accidents. I'll page you once I know more and if we need to run some more tests. Now I'd like you to go to eat something and drink plenty of water and please take it easy for the rest of today."  
  
"Thank you, Doctor." With that, Sam left the doctor's office and headed to the commissary to grab a bite to eat before continuing with some light paperwork in her office.

 

~ * ~

  
  
**Later that day, 8 pm**  
  
Having just changed into her pajamas - a loose tank top and shorts - Sam was surprised to hear the doorbell of her private quarters. Waving the hand across the sensor to unlock it, the door revealed Dr. Keller, who looked rather nervous.  
  
"Doctor Keller? Is everything okay?"  
  
"I see you weren't joking when you said you went to bed early." Sam could smell diversion from a mile away but indulged the doctor for now.  
  
"I took it easy today and I'm still tired. Please, come in. What brings you here?"  
  
"I have some of the test results and I thought we should talk. Maybe we could sit down?" She gestured to the little lounge area with two armchairs, and a coffee table. Her tone set Sam's nerves on edge, and she sat down, gnawing at her bottom lip. She remained silent and waited for the doctor to continue, fear creeping up her spine.  
  
"I finished the general blood panel when I noticed something was off. You're slightly anemic which would explain your tiredness but we can combat that. I also ran a qualitative hCG test as a part of our normal procedure."  
  
"A pregnancy test?"  
  
"Yes. I know you're on birth control, so I was very surprised when I saw your hCG levels through the roof. I tested another sample just in case there was a mistake but I got the same result."  
  
"Aren't there tumors that can affect hCG levels?" Sam asked quietly, dread freezing her body to the spot.  
  
"Yes, there are. First, we test the most obvious though, which would be pregnancy. I ran another sample to check the levels of your birth control. They were way lower than they should have been. When was the last time you had sexual intercourse?" Sam blushed at the intimate question but knew the doctor was bound by confidentiality.  
  
"About a week after I broke my leg." It was a surprise to everyone to see General O'Neill step through the gate to conduct the employee evaluations instead of a member of the IOA. Sam hadn't seen her husband for months and well, broken leg or not, they weren't going to miss the opportunity to be together.  
  
"Okay, that would be around 10 weeks? I'm sorry I have to ask but it's protocol. Was it consensual?"  
  
"God, yes. One hundred percent." Sam paused, knowing what Jennifer must have thought about her. Their somewhat awkward talk when they were trapped in the underground chamber revealed that Sam had someone at home. Feeling compelled to explain, she began hesitantly. "I don't want you to think it was with just anyone. I...remember when General O'Neill came to visit?"  
  
Sam watched as the doctor's eyebrows climbed up her forehead as she connected the dots before she nodded. She took in a deep breath and pulled her dog tags from under her top, showing an engagement ring and a wedding band resting securely against the identification tags. Jennifer's jaw dropped as she stared at the shining metal.  
  
"We've been married for over a year."  
  
"Why didn't you tell anyone?"  
  
"It's complicated. He was my commanding officer for eight years and the regulations prohibited us from having a relationship. Once that was not an issue anymore, we kept it a secret because rumors spread fast. The last thing the General wanted was for me to face any backlash, being accused of getting this assignment by sleeping with the head of Homeworld Security."  
  
"I can see how that could be a problem. You said he was going to retire soon?"  
  
"There's no set date yet. He's the best for the job but he hates being away from his friends and family." The young doctor nodded, still a bit shocked by Sam's confession. "But I can't be pregnant. Dr. Fraiser told me the marker in my blood would prevent any pregnancy.", It was a touchy subject to Sam but Jack had assured her that it wasn't a deal-breaker.  
  
"I know that you have been a host to a Tok'ra when the program was in the early stages. We now understand a lot more of the physiology. I'd like to do an ultrasound to see whether you are really pregnant and then we can move from there." Jennifer got up and fetched the bag she brought with her. "It's a portable one. I thought you'd be more comfortable here."  
  
"Thank you." With a sigh, she laid down on her bed and watched as the doctor turned on the machine. This whole situation was so surreal. She was a full bird Colonel, having her own command of an entire city. She was one year away from hitting the big four-oh, for cryin' out loud. She was too old for this. They were too old for this. She lifted her top up to her breasts, unconsciously running her hand across her stomach. Could she really be pregnant?  
  
"Have you noticed any changes in your body? There's this tiny bump right here." Her gloved fingers skimmed lightly over Sam's lower abdomen. "I can see how you could have missed that."  
  
"I thought it was just me getting older and not having as much exercise as before. Now that you've mentioned it, I did have to hook my bra looser a few weeks ago." Jennifer simply smiled gently and spread the gel over Sam's stomach before placing the sensor down and watching the monitor on the nightstand. The sensor stopped moving after a few minutes and Sam panicked.  
  
"What?" With a growing smile, Jennifer angled the monitor so that Sam could see better. Tears rushed to her eyes and clogged her throat at the sight: an unmistakable grey silhouette of a tiny human floating in a black oval. "Oh."  
  
"I'm no ob-gyn but that sure looks like a baby. Here is the amniotic sac filled with amniotic fluid." She circled the black oval on the screen. "And here's the head, arms, and little legs. The more bright spots on the profile are the facial bones." She pressed a few buttons and measured the fetus then held her index finger and thumb apart. "It's about 1.22 inches, I'd say the size of a kumquat."  
  
Sam reached out with a shaking hand, pointing at a fluttering bit on the screen. "Is that-?"  
  
"That's the heart. Would you like to hear it?" Not trusting herself to speak, Sam nodded mutely. In a few moments, a loud and fast whooshing sound filled her private quarters. "Congratulations, Sam." Seeing Sam overwhelmed, she printed a small picture of the ultrasound, then removed the sensor and cleaned her stomach.  
  
"How is it possible?"  
  
"In normal circumstances, your birth control would prevent pregnancy. I gave you some antibiotics after you broke your leg if you remember and I guess it must have lowered the birth control's effectiveness. Otherwise, I have no other explanation."  
  
"I've been taking the birth control all this time, is it going to hurt the baby?"  
  
"It's unlikely but I'd contact your ob-gyn to be sure." Jennifer paused momentarily. "I know it's a lot to take in right now but there's still time and you have options if-"  
  
"No. I'm keeping it." There was no way she could abort her and Jack's baby. They were both reconciled with the reality that it might never happen, but they weren't doing anything to prevent it either. It was something she thought she'd never have but as life tends to turn on its head, she would not miss the opportunity.  
  
"Okay. I don't need to tell you this but they will most likely not leave you in charge in your condition."  
  
"I know. I have a lot of thinking to do."  
  
"I'm going to leave you to rest now but I want you to stop by my office first thing in the morning. We have stocked some prenatal vitamins for Teyla and I want you to use them before you can contact your doctor on Earth. You are slightly anemic, so try to eat more protein and dark leafy greens. If you have any questions just let me know."  
  
"Thank you, Jennifer." With a sincere smile, Sam wished the young doctor a good night and went to lay on her bed, holding the ultrasound picture above her face.  
  
_A baby. Wow._  
  
She ran her fingers absentmindedly along her stomach before placing her palm on the small bump that Jennifer pointed out.  
  
"I'm sorry I didn't know about you sooner. I can't wait to see your daddy's expression when he finds out." She chuckled lightly before propping up the picture next to a framed one of Jack on her nightstand, turned off the lights and drifted off into sleep.

 

TBC


	2. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Big honkin' thank you goes to my beta, Joracwyn!

The Midway station was fairly quiet as Sam watched the inner ring spin on the Stargate. She reflected on the past two or three weeks since she had discovered she was pregnant. It had been quite overwhelming — as if acknowledging the new life within her had made her suddenly aware of the physical changes her body was going through. She had noticed the increased sensitivity and fullness of her breasts, and she had become more aware of her bump, although thankfully her uniform hid still both pretty well. She could pass off her growing stomach as having had too much to eat.

The prenatal vitamins Dr. Keller had given her had helped with the anemia and the quick naps stolen at odd moments of the day had helped her with the tiredness. However, the mood swings had hit her hard sometimes, especially when she thought about Jack.

On top of that, things had gotten pretty chaotic on Atlantis and being the leader of the expedition and having full responsibility of that, it was stressful to say the least, She had been glad to see Teal’c briefly not too long ago and they spent a few days reconnecting; while she had him around, nothing weighed quite so heavily. He had surprised her with a personal letter from Jack, which had been unexpected but very sweet and she had spent one whole evening crying over it.

Of course, Jack being the head of Homeworld Security, they had talked fairly often but that was just to share reports and progress updates. She didn't want to tell him about the pregnancy like this; after all, at least five people were listening to their conversation at any given time. Anything personal was quite off-limits. No, the best way to tell Jack the news was face to face.

Dr. Keller had kept a close eye on Sam and her condition since she was still in the first trimester. Sam's age and the naquadah in her blood could have been a risk for a miscarriage and Sam was fully aware of that. Seeing Teyla walking around with her large baby bump was giving her a mix of anxiety and hope - anxiety for her own early pregnancy and hope for things to come.

Then Teyla got captured by Michael which hadn’t helped Sam’s anxiety at all. Every time there was a progress report on her status, Sam found her hand automatically going to her stomach in a self-soothing manner before she realized what she was doing. Instead, she tugged on her uniform, adjusted her collar, her hair or her earpiece to mask her actions.

Eventually, Teyla was rescued and Rodney, of all people, had helped her deliver her baby boy. Sam felt relieved that both the mother and child were okay and safe in Atlantis. Not long after, the SGC called and requested her presence at Ba'al's extraction ceremony.

Sam had been waiting for the opportunity to come back to Earth, knowing that once she set her plan in motion, her time as the expedition leader would come to a close.

The plan was to take a few things with her to Earth, talk to General Landry about stepping down, go to the extraction ceremony, come back and gather the rest of her things before saying goodbye. While she was sad to leave, a new, exciting chapter of her life was just beginning. She had to tell Jack first, which filled her with anxiety. What if he didn't want the baby? Where were they going to live, Colorado or Washington? Would they let him finally retire? They still had 6 months to figure these things out, but she couldn't help but worry.

Watching as the gate came to life, Sam took a large breath, discreetly touching her bump before stepping through the wormhole. It surprised her to see Richard Woolsey greeting her at the end of the ramp. A quick look in the control room left her a little confused — where was General Landry?

“Colonel Carter.” While his demeanour wasn’t far from the usual, there was a slight tension in his jaw and certain nervousness around his eyes.

“Mr. Woolsey. How are you?”

“Very well, thank you for asking. However, I’m afraid I have some bad news.”

Sam froze, a cold sliver of dread going up her spine. Had something happened to Jack? To Cassie? To her friends? She swallowed around the sudden knot in her throat and found her voice.

“What is it?”

“I’m here to inform you that, effective immediately, you are being removed from command. The IOA has decided that I would be more suited to lead the Atlantis expedition.”

Stunned into silence, she found herself angry at the way they passed the information on to her. Couldn't they let her know a little later, not right after she stepped out of the goddamn gate?

“Oh. Thank you for letting me know, I’m sure you'll be a great fit. Now if you'll excuse me.” Sam gave him a tight smile and brushed past him. She wasn't going to cry, dammit! Stupid pregnancy hormones! She breezed through the corridors until she was in her lab. Dumping her bags onto the floor, she sat down on the chair and looked around. The SGC made sure that this lab wasn’t given to anyone else and she smiled at the familiar surroundings.

Emotions warred within her. While the sudden change was playing into her plans perfectly, she felt...betrayed, angry and confused. On the other hand, there was stark relief — she was back on Earth, soon to be reunited with her husband and friends and a new life growing within her. She took a few calming breaths, rubbing her stomach absentmindedly.

Sam picked up a framed photo of the original SG-1. It had been taken by Loran just before they left P4X-347. Despite their forced time off detoxing from the light, they had been in good spirits and the photo captured Jack telling one of his jokes while Sam and Daniel laughed and Teal’c looked on with a fond smile. A wave of longing hit her hard; she needed to call Jack soon.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door and she looked up to see General Landry in the doorway. She placed the photo down quickly and smiled at him.

“Good to see you, General.”

“Likewise Colonel Carter. I just wanted to say you did a marvelous job leading the Atlantis expedition.”

“Thank you, sir. I don't know if the IOA share your sentiment.”

Landry sighed and looked down at the floor.

“They don’t realize that everything we do can’t be neatly fitted into their policies.” He clasped his hands and shrugged. “Go home and relax, Colonel. I'll see you at 0900 tomorrow before the extraction ceremony.”

“Yes, sir.” Relaxing sounded wonderful at the moment. She watched as the General walked out only to stop at the threshold and turn around.

“Oh, and General O'Neill called just before you arrived, he’s on his way from Washington.” He gave her a knowing smile before he walked off. Despite all that had happened in the past hour, Sam couldn't suppress the smile that spread across her lips. Her husband was a busy man and she’d expected him to fly in the morning of the extraction. Learning that he'd be home tonight was already lifting her spirits. Running her palm along her bump, she thought about the best way to break the news.

 

~ * ~

 

It was so good to be home, Sam thought as she exited the car. The young Airman who gave her a lift hopped out as well to take care of her bags. She smiled at him and thanked him before he reversed from the driveway. She’d always loved this house. When the question of where they were going to live had come up, she had been quick to suggest Jack’s house. Sam really hadn’t wanted him to sell it once he moved to Washington. His place was bigger than hers anyway, with a bigger yard, in a better neighborhood and fairly secluded.

She unlocked the door and stepped inside, making her way to the bedroom and the adjoining bathroom. Thankful for the cleaning service Jack had hired before she left, the house smelled fresh and was sparkling clean. She wondered when was the last time Jack had been here, considering the bedding was stripped down.

Grabbing an old gray USAF shirt of Jack’s, a pair of black leggings and fluffy socks from the dresser, she drew herself a bath. As the tub filled, she stripped off her clothes, noting with dismay the red lines caused by her bra straps. She really needed a new bra to support all this new extra weight. While her uniform had hidden her small bump and growing breasts until now, it had recently started to become uncomfortably tight.

Standing naked in front of the full-length mirror, Sam turned sideways and let a smile touch her lips. To her eyes, the bump was more prominent when she was bare. Having just passed the thirteen-week mark, she ran her fingers lovingly over it, wondering when she’d first feel their baby move. Dr. Keller had given her a book with general information and on average, she should be feeling the first movements between 14 and 15 weeks.

Excited and nervous all at once about telling Jack, she sank into the tub with an appreciative groan. It wasn't until she was making herself some tea a couple of hours later that she heard the keys in the lock.

“Sam?”

“In the kitchen.” Hiding a grin, she disposed of the teabag and waited for him to round the corner. When he appeared, her breath caught in her chest and her heart fluttered but to her surprise, his expression was worried. His eyes were wide, there was a concerned twist in his lips, a furrow between his brows and his hair was tousled as if he had been running his hand through it all day.

“I swear I didn't know, they went over my head and—“ Smiling at his rambling, she stepped closer to him and with her hand against his chest hushed him with a kiss. She felt him groan as he rested his hands on her hips, drawing her closer, and only then she broke off the kiss.

“I missed you.” Before he had a chance to respond, she sucked his bottom lip between hers, unable to stop herself. She’d really _really_ missed him and her pregnancy hormones were going haywire in his presence. At a soft grumble, they drew apart and she heard Jack chuckle.

“Hungry?”

“Yes. I was waiting for you before ordering.” Looping her arms around his neck, she captured his lips once more. “Go shower, I'll order us some pizza.”

Separating herself from his embrace was harder than she had anticipated, so she kissed him one last time for good measure, giving a gentle squeeze to his backside. He looked at her in shock but she just grinned and pushed him towards their bedroom. He was halfway there when he turned back with a grin.

“Hey, Sam? I missed you too.”

 

~ * ~

 

Now cuddling comfortably together on the sofa with their food, The Simpsons reruns on TV as background noise, Sam sighed happily. After everything that had happened in the past few weeks, this was exactly what she needed.

“This is new,” Jack commented, motioning with his hand to the slice of pizza she was holding. She’d ordered her half with spinach and tuna, while normally she would get pepperoni and mushrooms. It seemed like she was living the pregnancy cliché with cravings. She considered herself very lucky to have avoided being actually sick in the first trimester, only slightly queasy.

She simply shrugged and bit into her slice. After all, Dr. Keller had ordered her to eat more leafy greens, even though Sam suspected pizza with spinach wasn’t what the doctor had in mind. They ate in silence, occasionally chuckling at the antics of the animated characters on the screen. Before they knew it, the pizza was gone and Sam was snuggling to his side.

“You know, you have been pretty zen about this whole thing.”

“About Atlantis?” At Jack’s nod, she bit her lip thoughtfully before replying. “Don’t get me wrong, I am angry at how they decided to tell me. After a year, hell, after the last 10 years of saving Earth and the whole galaxy, they could have been more courteous with the news.”

Sam sighed and continued. “I’m glad for the opportunity to lead the expedition. It was a good move for my career. But to be honest I’m more than happy to be back home. There are certain perks to being on Earth.” She looked up at him from beneath her lashes and found him watching her with amusement and something else in his eyes.

“Oh, really? And what exactly are these perks?”

Sam grinned, extricating herself from his arms to straddle his lap. She watched Jack’s eyes darken at the unexpected move and ran her hands up and down his chest.

“I get to see my husband a lot more often.” Sam ducked her head and captured his lips with hers, moaning softly as their tongues met.

“He’s one lucky bastard,” he murmured against her mouth and slipped his hands up her shirt to caress the soft skin of her back. Sam broke off the kiss reluctantly and rested her forehead against his. She knew she had to tell him the news before this went further. Once the shirt was off he would know.

“Jack, I have to tell you somethingngh...” Her eyes slammed shut as his lips found a tender spot on her neck, kissing his way up her jaw and back to her mouth where she stopped him with a finger against his lips. His lower lip jutted out and she had to fight the urge to lick it and maybe sink her teeth into the flesh.

“What is it?” He asked breathlessly, diving once more for her neck but she tugged at his short hair to keep him off. Taking a couple measured breaths to calm down her hormones, she noticed his open and curious expression. She felt bad at keeping this from him for so long and the longer she’d stayed silent, the more nervous she’d become.

Right. She could do this.

“Remember when you visited Atlantis after I broke my leg?” She ran her fingers through his hair at his nape, knowing how much he liked it.

“Mmm, yes.” His head fell against the back of the sofa, his eyes closed in bliss.

“Dr. Keller gave me antibiotics for some of my injuries. We found out later that they lowered the effectiveness of my contraception.”

His head jerked back up and Sam wondered how he didn't give himself whiplash. They stared at one another for a while before he lifted a hand to her cheek. The enormity of the revelation hit her just then and her eyes filled with tears.

She was carrying his son or daughter: a tiny person-to-be they both thought they'd never have together. Sam knew Jack loved kids and the nights spent talking about Charlie before they’d got married had made her wish she could bear his children. At the time they both had been aware that it might not happen. And now here they were.

“Sam?” His voice trembled a little and her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest at the hopeful look in his eyes. “Are you...?” He trailed off and she nodded with a smile, no longer able to keep the happy tears from spilling from her eyes.

“Yeah. I’m pregnant.”

“Really?” She had never heard him speak in such a tender and awe-filled voice as he brought his other hand up to wipe the tears on her cheeks. Not trusting herself to speak, she bit her lip and nodded a split second before she was enveloped in a tight hug.

“God, Sam.” Burying her head in his neck, she could feel his heart beating frantically against her own. “God, Sam. We’re too old for this.” He exhaled and she chuckled wetly, sniffing and pulling back to look at him. That had been her first reaction too.

He pulled her in for a gentle kiss, tasting the tears on her lips, his fingers running through her loose hair.

“Is everything okay?” She knew what he was asking; their age could pose some developmental issues for the baby and certain genetic conditions.

“Yes, as far as Dr. Keller could tell. But she’s not a specialist, so I scheduled an appointment with my ob-gyn soon.”

He acknowledged her with a nod. She could see he was still shocked but there was a spark of happiness in his eyes. She climbed off his lap and stood, her hand outstretched. “Come on, I want to show you something.”

Sam led him to their bedroom to stand in front of the mirror next to the dresser. Rummaging through her luggage, she pulled out the ultrasound picture Jennifer printed for her just before she left. His hands were shaking a little bit as he took it from her, looking at it for a long minute.

“ _Sam_.” He looked up, tears in his eyes.

She’d told herself she wouldn’t cry again but his soft, tender voice rattled her composure. She closed the distance between them and kissed him soundly, pouring all her love into it. He held her tightly to his body, but one hand drifted hesitantly to her front to trail a finger across her abdomen. She turned in his arms so that her back was plastered against his front.

“Look.” Sam grinned and motioned to the mirror before lifting her shirt up under her breasts and tugging the waistband of her leggings to her hips, exposing her tiny bump. She took Jack’s hand and placed it on the gentle swell of her stomach, suddenly feeling at complete peace. His other arm came around her and he hugged her to his body.

“I love you.” He whispered in her hair, kissing the top of her head. They stood there like this for a few minutes, just basking in each other’s presence. “I have to admit, I thought it was just my eyes playing tricks on me.”

“What?” He knew?

“I thought it was just because I haven’t seen you for three months and forgot how these looked like.” In the mirror, she saw his grin as his hands traveled up to cup her sensitive breasts. “They _are_ bigger.” She let out a surprised snort and then a moan when he squeezed ever so gently, running his lips up the column of her neck.

“Mmhm. I need a new bra.” She moved her head to the side to give better access to his questing mouth. The fire in her belly he had ignited with his kisses on the sofa roared back to life. Turning in his arms, she gave him a seductive smile before kissing him deeply, her hands wandering along his form. Jack tugged her shirt up the rest of the way, exposing her to his heated gaze.

“Not right now you don’t.” He grinned and maneuvered them towards the bed.

TBC


	3. Moon Base

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So I haven't updated for 7 months (yikes) and I'm really really sorry to leave you all hanging like that. If this was real life, the Sam in my fic is about ready to give birth. 😂
> 
> Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Massive thank you to my beta, Joracwyn!

Sam's alarm went off at exactly 6:30am. She stretched and turned over to her back with a smile. She hadn't slept this well in months. The slight soreness in her muscles reminded her how last night had turned out and her smile turned into a satisfied grin. They had made love slowly and she had been surprised by Jack's careful and tender caresses, his touch almost reverent. She had felt well and truly worshipped and it had been so overwhelming for her hormone-overloaded body that she had ended up crying. When he'd seen her tears, Jack had been horrified that he'd hurt her,  but she had quickly assured him she sometimes had trouble controlling her emotions. Afterward he had gathered her in his arms and she'd slept cocooned in his warm embrace without stirring.

Sam’s smile faded a little when she realized the other side of the bed was empty but the spot was lukewarm to the touch, signalling that he hadn't been up for long. The extraction ceremony had been the last thing on her mind the night before but in the light of day she knew she had to face it before they went to the SGC.

While Jack hadn't told her in detail all that had happened during his capture at Ba'al's fortress, he had confessed to having had nightmares after each encounter with the System Lord afterwards. The dreams hadn't been flashbacks of his torture but rather the feeling of being unable to move and a sense of dread filling his veins. He had woken up tangled up in his sheets and had trouble falling asleep a day or two afterwards. Thankfully reading  mission reports had not caused him nightmares. 

Sam wondered what today's ceremony would do to his subconscious. After all this time she was now able to be by his side in case things got difficult. 

She sat up and stretched before she located the clothes from the night before. When she exited the bedroom, she could smell the coffee coming from the kitchen. Rounding the corner, she stopped in the doorway at the sight before her. Her husband, standing in the kitchen in his boxers and white undershirt, scratching his head at the array of food spread out on the kitchen counter in front of him. Unable to resist, she stepped closer and wrapped her arms around his torso, rubbing her nose in the dip of his spine and inhaling his scent.

She could feel the vibration of his chuckle through his back against her nose and grinned, this time placing her cheek against the hard plane of his shoulder blade. Jack turned her so that she stood pressed between his body and the counter and placed a kiss to the top of her head.

"Morning. What's all this?" Sam gestured at the assortment of food on the counter behind her - eggs, jam, peanut butter, toast, butter, ham, cheese and off to the side a box of Froot Loops and milk.

"Good morning." He kissed her briefly and she hummed in the back of her throat. "I forgot to ask you yesterday about food aversions. Or any other symptoms. I got a bit carried away."

She giggled into his chest before placing a little kiss over his heart through his shirt."No aversions as of yet. I think my first trimester was pretty easy compared to other women. I only get nausea if I don't eat." 

Sam kissed his chin and looked at all the options before grabbing the milk and a box of cereal. She grabbed two bowls and spoons from a cupboard and extricated herself from his arms, grinning at the way his eyebrows climbed nearly to his hairline. Making herself comfortable at the breakfast table, she poured them both a bowl while Jack tried to find words at this unusual sight.

"...but you hate Froot Loops."

Sam looked down at her half-eaten bowl and back at Jack and shrugged.

"Not right now it seems." She smiled sweetly at him when he shook his head, muttering something about weird pregnancy cravings, and joined her at the table.

 

~ * ~

 

It took them a little longer than usual to get ready   because Sam cornered Jack at the kitchen counter after breakfast and they spent five solid minutes making out like teenagers.

“Sam.” Jack managed to get the warning out before Sam kissed him again. She could feel the effect she was having on him and without preamble pressed herself more tightly against him, sneaking her hands beneath his undershirt. Her teeth sunk into the flesh of his lower lip, causing him to groan and kiss her back.

“ _Sam._ ” When his plea fell on deaf ears, he took a gentle hold of her wrists and extricated them from under his shirt. Sam was a bit put out and pursed her lips but then slowly reason returned and the fog of arousal slowly dissipated from her brain.

“As much as I’d love to continue, we have somewhere to be.”

“Since when have you become the voice of reason?”

“Since pregnancy hormones started to affect your genius brain.”  She felt him press a small kiss on her forehead before he slipped out of her embrace and headed in the direction of their bedroom.

Sam chuckled to herself and shook her head. Her desire for Jack was so ingrained in her subconscious after all these years that she couldn’t stop it any more than she could stop breathing. Pregnancy hormones or not, she just couldn't help herself where he was concerned.

Sam followed him into the bedroom, giving his naked form an appreciative look before he closed  the door for his morning shower. The urge to join him was strong but she resisted, reigning her libido in and focusing on their mission.

 

~ * ~

 

Before they were about to head out, Sam stopped Jack by the front door.

“Jack?”

“Hmm?” 

He turned to her and she took a good look at him. Gone was the playful man from earlier that morning. Instead he seemed distracted and withdrawn. The crease between his eyebrows seemed deeper than usual as well, hinting at the turmoil brewing inside.

Sam reached up and gently smoothed her thumb across the crease and then her hand caressed his cheek. His expression softened.

“I’m fine.” 

A brief silent conversation passed between them. When it was clear she didn’t believe him, he added, “Really.”

“Jack.”

“It’s gonna be fine, Sam, I promise.” 

He pulled her into a hug and she let herself be comforted by his familiar scent. 

“Okay.” 

Jack placed a kiss to the top of her head, grabbed her hand and together they walked towards his truck.

“It’s better if I sleep in the guest bedroom tonight though.” 

Sam shot him an incredulous look over the hood of the car before they climbed inside. “You most certainly will not.”

“Sam.”

“ _Jack._ ”

She scooted to the passenger’s seat closest to him and fastened her seatbelt. He let out a sigh before he looked at her with worried eyes and serious expression. “I don’t want to hurt you.”

 

She was touched by his protectiveness and she did understand why he was so reluctant. But she had witnessed his nightmares numerous times before. Despite his dark past and the violence he had suffered at the hands of their enemies, he had never been violent when he was dreaming, even when he had been startled awake by someone else. There was no reason to think that would change now.

“You’re not going to hurt us.”

Sam saw the little smile and the way his gaze drifted briefly to her stomach at the use of her word but he still looked conflicted. She smiled at him in encouragement, placing her hand on his. He sighed again but threaded their fingers together and started the car.

 

~ * ~

 

“When do you want to tell the others?” Jack asked as they walked together across the SGC parking lot, hands brushing occasionally.

“I'd first like to make sure that everything is alright. I have the appointment tomorrow and it will take some time for all the results to come back."

"Sounds good. Though you will probably have to tell Hank before that. When we spoke yesterday, he mentioned a discussion of your options for the future." 

The young Lieutenant at the entrance point smiled at them as they passed through and into the elevator.

"I was expecting that. But we haven't discussed it yet and you're leaving on Monday. It's not just me who will be affected by this."

"You're right. You don't have to decide right now, Hank will understand. Just let him know that your options will be more limited. I'll be with you every step of the way, Sam."

In the relative privacy of the elevator, she smiled gratefully at him and brushed his hand with hers, hooking her pinkie finger with his. Jack grinned at her but Sam could see there was a pinch of tension around his eyes. She knew being away was hard on him; he hated Washington and everything it represented. Yet he was aware that he was the best person for the job and if he could help it, he wouldn't leave the Stargate program in the hands of some bureaucrat who had no idea how important it was.

And with her being pregnant, it was twice as hard for Jack. Sam knew he'd missed a lot of Sara's pregnancy and Charlie's early years due to his Black Ops missions. This time he wasn't putting himself in danger but he was thousands of miles away regardless. It was better than galaxies apart, Sam surmised. And at least they had today, Friday and the whole weekend together.

She was brought out of her musings when Jack briefly intertwined their fingers and gave her hand a squeeze. She fought the urge to kiss him, all too aware of their environment. It must have shown on her face because his lip quirked in amusement before he shook his head.

She grinned at him and reluctantly let go of his hand as the elevator door opened on level 11. They took the next elevator which would take them deep into the underbelly of the mountain.

Their first stop was level 27 and General Landry's office. He was just outside the door talking to Walter, when he noticed them.

"Thank you, Walter. I'll let the General know. Jack, Colonel Carter, good morning!" 

They both nodded at him in greeting.

"Walter has a message from the Tok'ra for you, Jack." Landry lowered his voice as he spoke next. "I'll have a chat with your lovely wife in the meantime."

Ever since Jack pulled the prank on Landry about her reassignment, the SGC’s commander loved to tease him about their marriage whenever the opportunity arose.

Sam suppressed a grin when Jack’s eyes narrowed at the General in mock annoyance. She knew he was secretly pleased though and if she were honest, she was delighted to be referred to as his wife as well.

"Okay.” Jack turned to her and gently touched her elbow. “I’ll see you later.” 

Sam nodded and watched him go before following General Landry into his office.

"Please have a seat, Colonel. First I'd like to formally apologize to you for the way your reassignment was handled. We really had no say. The IOA never wanted full military control of Atlantis but you were the right amount of a scientist and an Air Force officer. The IOA assured me that it has nothing to do with your leadership skills. Your command has been exceptional and they recognize that. Unfortunately they wanted someone with Dr. Weir's experience."

"It's okay, I understand, General, although it might not have been the best way to do it. I'd have liked to prepare ahead of time." 

General Landry nodded in understanding."You have a lot of options where to go from here. You don't have to decide right away of course, but I'd like to hear what your preferences are and we'll see what we can do."

"Thank you, sir. There are certain things you need to be aware of. If possible, I'd like to continue our conversation with General O'Neill present." 

The General looked equal parts confused and curious but there was a twinkle in his eyes."Of course, Colonel. We can debrief after you return from the extraction ceremony later today. Now go get ready for the mission."

"Yes, sir." Sam stood up from her chair and left for the locker room. As she turned the corner she nearly barreled into Daniel, who had his nose buried in a book. Typical. She grinned at the sight. She missed him a lot. All of them.

"Sorry!" He apologized before looking up. "Sam! So good to see you." Book forgotten, he wrapped her in a tight hug. "I missed you."

"Missed you too, Daniel." She resisted the urge to ruffle his hair. He was like a brother to her after all these years. He had always been supportive and had been excited for her and Jack when they could finally be together. She suddenly felt giddy, wondering how he would react to the news of becoming an uncle. She barely resisted running her hand over her belly.

"Jack called me yesterday. He was really mad. Can't say I blame him; they should've treated you better."

"I know. I choose to see the positives though. It's really good to be back home." 

Daniel gave her a knowing grin and the twinkle matched the one in General Landry's eyes ten minutes earlier. She rolled her eyes good-naturedly and pushed him in the direction of the locker rooms. Even after being married for over a year and almost three years together, their friends still liked to tease them about it.

 

~ * ~

 

After changing into her desert camo BDUs and a round of greetings from Teal'c, Cam and Vala, Sam found herself standing in the control room.

"Sure you don't want to come along, sir? Might never be another one of these." Cam asked General Landry. Vala was still nowhere to be found and Sam wondered where Jack was.

"Tempting as it is, I'll be doing paperwork the whole time you're gone. Besides, one general looking over your shoulders is plenty."

"Yes, speaking of Jack…" Daniel trailed off.

"He went ahead with SG-3 to officially hand over the prisoner."

"Well, I guess he knows who we're dealing with." Sam remarked.

After a brief back-and-forth they stepped through the gate onto the Tok'ra homeworld.

Three hours later they were still standing in the extraction chamber and she almost followed her husband when he yawned expansively but just barely managed to hold it in. Three hours and Ba'al was still encased in a stasis field.

The list of his crimes was longer than any other Goa'uld's that Sam had witnessed the extraction of and she couldn't believe how tiring just standing there was. Whether that was a pregnancy symptom she couldn't be sure. However when she discreetly glanced around her teammates, they all looked either tired or bored and their eyes were glassed over.

After one more hour of Tok'ra chanting the extraction was done. It was quite honestly pretty underwhelming, even though she told Cam earlier that it was an incredible experience. Maybe the novelty had worn off for her. But Cam only echoed her thoughts.

"Nope. That's pretty much the extraction ceremony, right there. Yup. So, lunch, anyone? I'm buying."

"I'm in." Cam said immediately. Sam's stomach grumbled in agreement. If she were honest with herself though, she craved Jack's touch more after standing next to him for four hours straight. She was astounded how her pregnancy hormones were influencing her. She had more self-control than this. She shrugged internally and fought the cheeky smile that threatened to spread across her face.

"Actually, sir, I was hoping that we could go over the plans for the new moon base."

"What moon base?" Jack was unaware about his wife's ulterior motives and blithely followed her out of the extraction chamber and through multiple twists and turns. Sam's grin grew as she found the perfect hiding spot:  a small alcove in the Tok'ra complex. The halls were deserted and the only sound was their boots on the ground.

Suddenly, Jack stopped behind her, noticing they weren't any closer to the exit.

"Uh, Carter?"

"Hmm?" She took her time turning towards him because her grin was firmly plastered on her face.

"Are we lost?"

"Nope. Come here, I want to show you something." His eyes narrowed at her expression. She could tell he knew his wife was up to something. He followed her into the empty alcove in confusion.

"I don't see any moon base plans." Sam sidled up to him with a gleam in her eyes and he quickly caught on. His eyebrows rose in surprise; when they first started dating she was adamant there would be no PDAs on base or missions. Yet here she was about to break her own imposed rules if the way her hand reached for his face was any indication.

Her kiss was sweet and gentle unlike the heated make out session she had initiated this morning in their kitchen. He clearly underestimated the influence of her pregnancy hormones on her self-control. Not that he was complaining, in fact he happily kissed her back, placing his hands on her hips. He'd have liked to pull her closer to him but her gun was in the way and her vest and jacket were too bulky.

"Better?" He asked her with amusement when they parted and she buried her nose in the crook of his neck.

"Mmm, much. You smell so good." She moaned out and licked the side of his neck, almost making him jump. He always smelled good to her even when sweaty and her pregnancy seemed to have enhanced her sense of smell. As if her body knew he was the other half that had created the baby inside her.

She had read about enhanced smell in pregnancy and most women found their partners' smell repulsive. Not her though. Maybe being exposed to all kinds of weird things at the SGC had changed them all. While Jack had his ancient gene for all his life, she had a DNA marker left by Jolinar for the past few years. She chuckled internally at the thought that they were basically both half alien at this point.

" _Jesus, Sam._ " He grasped her upper arms and drew her away from him. “Did you just invent a moon base just to have your wicked way with me?” 

She had the grace to appear embarrassed and blush spread across her cheeks.

"I really _really_ missed you." 

His eyes softened and he brushed her bangs from her eyes. He had missed her just as much and while they still had to be in a long-distance relationship for the moment, at least now they had the option of daily private calls and frequent visits. Jack swore to her he would be there for her, them, as much as possible, even if it meant taking red-eye flights every weekend. Pressing a long kiss to her forehead, he gently withdrew from her.

"Come on. The sooner we're fed, the sooner we can go home."

 

~ * ~

 

They decided to go to O'Malley's and after Jack booked them a table, they sent the rest of the team ahead while they had a meeting with General Landry. The General invited them in and gestured for them to take a seat.

"Colonel, regarding your reassignment, with your expertise you have a lot of options. The new Deadalus-class ship needs a commander and we can't think of a better person for the job. Of course, you are more than welcome to re-join SG-1." 

Sam smiled self-consciously and glanced at Jack, who gave her a small nod.

"Thank you, sir. However, as General O'Neill is already aware, my circumstances have recently changed and my reassignment options have become a lot more limited. I won't be able to continue active field duty for the foreseeable future." 

Landry's bushy eyebrows climbed up his forehead almost comically; he probably couldn't fathom how anyone could turn down commanding a spaceship. She smiled inwardly, nervous and excited about her impending motherhood all over again.

"Why is that?" His eyes flicked between her and Jack in confusion and Sam took a deep breath.

"I'm pregnant, sir." 

There was a long pause as the General stared at her in surprise. Sam hid a smile by biting her lip and glanced at Jack, who looked way too smug after her announcement. She raised an eyebrow at him and he sobered up a little, but the spark in his eyes remained.

"Oh. I see. Well, that certainly changes things."

"With your permission, sir, I'd like to stay at the SGC in the scientific department for the time being. My doctor is at the Academy hospital and is aware of the Stargate program and my physiology, so she will keep you updated on my condition and recommendations for my workload."

"That shouldn't be a problem, Colonel. In fact, I think many people would be glad to have the Stargate expert out of harm's way." He glanced briefly at Jack with a teasing twinkle in his eye. "Thank you for informing me. You've certainly earned a few days off, so I'll see you back here on Monday." 

They both rose with the dismissal but were stopped at the threshold when Landry called out to them.

"Sam, Jack?" He waited until they both turned to look at him. "Congratulations." 

Jack's smirk grew into a wide grin and she had to chuckle at his goofy expression.

"Thank you, sir."

~ * ~

**Jack's POV**

Sam dozed against the passenger side window as Jack drove them to O'Malley's. With the long extraction ceremony and further delays caused by Vala and then the meeting with General Landry, the planned lunch was more like an early dinner. They'd woken early today, so Jack wasn't surprised she didn't even stir as he turned off the engine in the parking lot and got out of the vehicle only to come around to her side and open the door.

Leaning into the cab, he gently unbuckled her seatbelt and ran his fingers across her cheek. He smiled as she wiggled a little and her eyes slowly blinked open.

"Rise and shine, beautiful." He watched as she slowly became aware of her surroundings, sitting up more upright when she realized they had arrived.

"Oh, we're here. Sorry, I didn't mean to fall asleep."

"It's okay. You alright?"

"I'm fine, really. Just more tired than I thought. I haven't eaten anything since breakfast and I'm feeling a bit queasy."

"Let's get you fed then." Jack leaned in for a short kiss but her mouth opened beneath his and his plan went out of the window. They kissed deeply for a few moments and when they withdrew, she had a blissed out expression on her face. 

Chuckling to himself, he helped her out of the car, lacing their fingers together as they walked to the restaurant. His finger rubbed gently across her ring finger, pleased that she had put her engagement and wedding ring back on. He had worn his all the time but she didn't have the luxury to do so. Hers usually hung  next to her dog tags, close to her heart. Jack saw the smile on her face as he did so.

They approached the table where  the rest of the team sat. Cam noticed them first.

"What took you guys so long?"

"I saw them from the window. They were snogging in the car."

" _Vala!_ " Daniel exclaimed, his eyes widening at her bold statement.

"What?" She simply shrugged and both Sam and Jack grinned. Even Teal'c smiled fondly at them.

"I'm starving." Sam announced and Jack was glad for the change of the subject. Sometimes their friends' teasing could get out of hand.

And if anybody noticed that Sam ordered water instead of beer with her meal, nobody commented on it.

 

~ * ~

 

It was almost 7pm when they returned to their house. As soon as the doors closed, Sam stepped into Jack's arms and closed her eyes, humming softly.

"Mmm, I could really go for a hot bath and a nap." 

He chuckled and pressed a kiss to the top of her head. She took his hand and led him through the hallway to the bathroom. 

"You're welcome to join me." She gave him a look over her shoulder and he couldn’t help the waggle of his eyebrows.

"No. I'm too tired for any hanky-" Her sentence was cut off as a white beam of light enveloped them both.

 


End file.
